


Movie Night

by night_storm



Category: Onward (2020)
Genre: Fluff, Incest, M/M, Mutual Pining, Sibling Incest, Suggestive Themes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-31
Updated: 2020-03-31
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:55:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23416333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/night_storm/pseuds/night_storm
Summary: Ian and Barley are left home alone, so they decide to watch a movie together.
Relationships: Barley Lightfoot/Ian Lightfoot
Comments: 13
Kudos: 120





	Movie Night

Ian slid further down into the soft cushion of the couch, barely paying attention to the movie playing in front of him. It only served as background noise, as far as he was concerned. Right now, all he could focus on was his brother’s presence beside him. Or, more specifically, his leg pressing against his own.

Barley hadn’t seemed to notice, of course, or if he had he didn’t care. Ian had been scooting ever closer to him during the past 30 minutes of the film, one slow inch at a time. So when Barley had suddenly jumped in his seat, cheering at the loud explosion shown on the screen and shoving his left leg against Ian’s, Ian had almost screamed in surprise. And just like that, all of Ian’s hard work was for nothing- Barley had closed the gap in seconds. He, as expected, took no mind of Ian’s awkward nervousness and shoved another handful of popcorn into his mouth. He then, without looking, pushed the bowl into Ian’s sweaty palms, spilling some kernels on the floor in the process.

“Take some,” he managed to say between mouthfuls, “Or else I’ll eat all of it!”

“No, go ahead,” Ian chucked nervously, “I’m not super hungry anyway.”

“Eh, suit yourself,” Barley threw a kernel into his mouth, then looked down at Ian as if he had just noted the anxious tone in his brother’s voice. “You feeling alright?”

“Huh?” Ian managed to glance once at his brothers confused expression before gluing his eyes to the bowl in his lap. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine, I’m all good.”

Barley was completely unconvinced. He grabbed the remote and turned the volume down until it was little more than a murmur of noise. “Okay, what’s wrong? Out with it.”

Ian winced. Why did he have to be so terrible at lying?

“Oh, man, you’re kind of red, Ian...” Barley’s concerned voice suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts. “You’re not getting sick, are you?”

“No, no, of course not. I’m fine, it’s just... Just a little hot in here, that’s all!” Ian chuckled nervously, trying his best not to sound insincere. Unfortunately, his best was not very good. Barley seemed to be satisfied with his response, though, and shrugged.

“Well, maybe you should take off that hoodie, huh?” He smiled down at Ian, amused, before turning back to the TV. “It probably isn’t doing you any favors, temperature-wise.”

“Oh,” Ian said, surprised he had gotten away with his dumb lie so easily. “That’s probably a good idea.”

“When will you learn, dear brother?” Barley placed a hand on his chest and grinned smugly, “All of my ideas are good ideas.”

“Uh-huh, riiiiight,” Ian gave him a look before tugging the hoodie over his head and tossing it to his side. Barley was quiet, and Ian glanced back at him. His brother was staring at Ian’s chest, and had an expression on his face that he couldn’t name.

Ian blinked and looked down at his shirt. It was black, had a band logo on it, and was way too large for his thin frame. This wasn’t Ian’s shirt. He was wearing...

“You’re wearing my shirt.” Barley said, making Ian’s head snap up to look at him.

“Oh, yeah, I guess I am,” Ian laughed nervously to try and pass it off as no big deal, but he could already feel his face growing hot. “I must’ve grabbed it by mistake, or, uh, it was in my laundry load and I thought it was... Um, I’ll go change, if you don’t want-“

“No,” Barley said suddenly, making Ian jump. “No, you pull it off well.”

“Oh,” Ian paused awkwardly, then forced a quick laugh and tugged lightly at the fabric, “It’s a little big on me, but...”

Barley’s eyes flickered downwards, and he smiled at him fondly. “It’s cute.”

Ian felt his heart skip a beat, and his eyes widened. He let his gaze meet his brother’s, and he smiled in return. _Cute. He called me cute._

Barley’s face suddenly shifted, as if he had just remembered something, and he turned away sharply. His leg left its place at Ian’s side and he once again reached for the remote to turn up the volume, clearing his throat as he did so. “Man, how much of the movie did we miss?”

Ian, confused and disappointed, leaned back to his original spot with his back pressed against the couch cushions. For a second there, it almost seemed like...

No. Of course Barley wouldn’t like him like that. They were just brothers, nothing more. But then, why had he been looking at Ian like that? Why had he called him _cute_...?

Ian blushed, shifting on the cushion below him. Barley had been quiet since he turned the volume back up, something that rarely occurred when they were watching a movie together. Not only that, but his face was blank, as if he was lost in thought.

Ian took the opportunity to scoot an inch closer to his brother. He didn’t have to move far. The fabric of their clothes brushed together, now, and Ian could faintly feel the rise and fall of Barley’s chest. Barley glanced down for only a second before staring intently back at the screen. Ian knew that this was his chance.

He paused, then slowly and awkwardly leaned his head to rest on Barley’s shoulder. Barley went stiff underneath him, and Ian held his breath.

Seconds passed, then Barley shifted. Ian’s heart raced. _This is it,_ he thought, squeezing his eyes shut. _He’s going to push me off him._

But Barley did the opposite. He stretched his arms above his head, let out a loud yawn, then with his left arm reached around Ian’s shoulders in a side hug, pulling him closer.

Everything was still, and Ian‘s heart threatened to beat itself out of his chest. Happiness and hope surged through him all at once, and he smiled, barely holding back an elated giggle.

They stayed like that for the next hour of the movie, Ian snuggled comfortably against Barley’s denim jacket and Barley’s arm wrapped around his shoulders. They had talked, joked and laughed, neither of them paying much attention to the plot anymore. Ian sighed in contentment and titled his head up to watch his brother’s sleepy face. The screen cast light over it in such a way that it seemed he was glowing.

Suddenly, the light cut off and the room was cast in shadows. Ian blinked in surprise and turned to see the credits rolling.

“Well, wasn’t the most historically accurate of films, but still cool,” Barley declared as he reached for the remote to switch off the TV. Ian snickered into his jacket, and Barley smiled down at him.

“You tired?”

“Mmph.” Ian mumbled in response; eyes closed. He was, but he didn’t want to leave his brother's side just yet.

Barley laughed. “Alright, sleeping beauty. Let’s get you back to your room.”

Ian clung to Barley as he tried to push himself off the couch, successfully stopping him from leaving.

“What?” Barley asked, a lop-sided grin on his face. “Oh, you don’t wanna walk? Is that it?”

Ian peaked up, one eye open, and grimaced in pain. “I can’t... move...” He gave a pathetic cough to seal the deal. “Go on... without me.”

Barley’s eyes went wide in mock horror. “No!” He gasped, then suddenly burst up from where he was sitting, making Ian tip over from where he was leaning on him. Barley puffed out his chest and thumped a fist against it, now determined.

“Do not worry, fair Iandore of Lightfoot! I, sir Barley the bold, will save you!” Barley reached down and shoved his arms underneath Ian, and all at once he was being hoisted up and carried bridal style. Ian gasped and grabbed onto his brother’s vest in shock.

“Augh! Barley!”

“Yes, yes. Thank me later!“

They both laughed as Barley clambered up the stairs, still holding Ian in his arms with ease. When he made it to Ian’s room, he kicked the door open and, breathing hard, dropped the smaller elf with a yelp onto his bed.

“Haha, hah, oh, my back...” Barley leaned onto the bed next to Ian, then grinned up at him. “Carrying you up all those stairs may not have been my best idea.”

“Hey, it worked out well for me!” Ian leaned against the wall and put his hands behind his head smugly. “Free ride!”

“I gotta start charging for those,” Barley muttered, then flopped face first onto the sheets, making Ian bounce from the impact.

“Oh, don’t tell me I’m going to have to carry you now,” Ian joked.

Barley let out a muffled laugh, then lifted his head to rest his arms underneath it. “Hey, you could do it with your awesome wizard skills!”

Ian rolled his eyes. “Well, I’m not getting off my bed to get my staff, so you’re out of luck.”

“Boo. I just carried you, Ian! Now it’s your turn.” Barley lifted a fist in the air and gave it a half-hearted shake. “I demand just reward for my troubles!”

“Can’t I do something else? Something that doesn’t require me moving off my bed?” Immediately after the words left his mouth, Ian’s mind ran wild with visuals. Something else on the bed...? He blushed and shook his head. Now was most definitely not the time.

“Hmm...” Barley made a great deal of thinking about Ian’s question, scratching his chin in mock thoughtfulness. Ian let his gaze travel down Barley’s back, and suddenly he had an idea. He might regret this later, but things had been working in his favor so far, so he figured If he could just play it cool, and not make it weird, everything would be fine. He quickly planned out what he would say, then nodded decisively.

“What about if I... Maybe if I... I mean, for your- since your back is hurting, I could give you a massage? If you’re okay... with that?” Ian only barely restrained himself from face planting. Why had he ever thought that of all people _he_ could play it cool?

Barley tilted his head to get a better look at Ian, one eyebrow slightly raised in surprise. “You’re... offering me a massage?”

“Um... Yes?” Ian grinned nervously and somehow managed to stop himself from rambling further.

Barley glanced away, appearing to study the sheets in front of him for a few seconds before he looked back up with a shrug and a small smile. “Yeah, I’ll accept that as payment.”

“Cool,” Ian chuckled, shoulders going slack with relief. Barley pushed himself off the bed to sit up and turned away so that his back was facing Ian.

“This good?”

“Yeah,” Ian said, kneeling behind him so he could reach his shoulders. He often forgot just how much bigger than him Barley was. He lifted his hands, then stopped. “Oh, but, uh- maybe you should take off your jacket, first? For, um, ease of access?”

Barley froze for a moment, his shoulders tensing, then began to shed his denim jacket. “Right, uh, sorry, I didn’t really... think about it.”

Somehow, Barley sounded nervous. This came as a shock to Ian. Why would Barley be nervous right now? Ian was the one who should be nervous. Maybe he was just imagining it.

Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, he exhaled and placed his hands on Barley’s shoulders, then started to slowly trail down until he reached the dip in his spine. Barley shivered underneath him.

“So, uh... Where exactly does it hurt...?” Ian said, trying to sound casual and probably failing miserably.

Barley said nothing for a moment before seeming to snap back to reality. “Oh, it’s... right in there. Maybe a little higher?”

Ian nodded, then realized his brother couldn’t see him, and responded with a hum. He slowly began massaging with both hands, carefully watching Barley for any signs of unease or pain. Barley only sighed and visibly relaxed underneath him.

“Yeah, that’s good. Little to the left, though?”

“Oh. Here?” Ian shifted to the left and dug his fingers in deeper. Barley tensed just as Ian hit a sore spot.

“You got it,” Barley said through gritted teeth, and Ian shifted to the heel of his palm to rub the area with more force.

“Geez, you’re sorer than I thought you’d be. What have you been doing?”

“Besides carrying my helpless brother up a treacherous flight of stairs? Not much.”

Ian let out a breath of laughter and switched to massaging Barley’s shoulders. “They should replace those stairs with an elevator.”

“Or even better,” Barley suddenly turned his head around to look at Ian and grinned deviously. “We tear out the stairs and just put you there to levitate people every time they want up!”

Ian pushed Barley’s head back around with a smile. “Oh, I see. You only like me for my magic, huh?”

Barley, looking terribly offended, immediately whipped his head back around, causing Ian to jump in surprise. “No! Of course not! How could you even say that?!”

Ian was left to stare at him blankly for a moment before Barley smiled and winked at him. “I only like you for your magic _and_ your massages.”

Ian gasped and whacked him on the shoulder as Barley barked with laughter. “That’s it! Consider your massage over with! You don’t deserve it!” Ian turned away and crossed his arms with a huff.

“Oh, no! Say it isn’t so!” Barley put the back of his hand to his forehead in distress. “What ever shall I do?! My back will hurt forever and ever more without your skilled massaging talents!”

“Well that’s just too bad, isn’t it?” Ian said, trying in vain to hide his smile.

“How about if I give you a massage too, hm? Then will you forgive me?”

There was a pause and Ian’s face went red. He was suddenly very grateful he had his back to Barley.

“...Massage me?” Ian managed to choke out.

“Yeah, sure,” Barley said, and Ian could hear him stretch and pop his fingers one by one. “I’m pretty great at it too, you know. Maybe not as dexterous as your little hands there, but I can really get those knots out.”

Ian’s eye twitched. “O-Okay,” he squeaked, and scooted backwards so Barley was once again within reach. His brother hesitated, then slowly started rubbing his shoulders. It was noticeably gentle, which surprised Ian. It wasn’t like Barley to be gentle about much of anything, but as he continued, he didn’t get any harsher with his movements. Not that Ian was complaining, of course. It felt heavenly, and he quickly melted into the touch, sighing in contentment.

“Anywhere in particular you want worked on?” Barley asked, still massaging circles into Ian’s shoulders. He bit his lip before responding.

“Maybe... Lower?”

Barley obediently began to slowly work his way down Ian’s spine, just as Ian himself had done to Barley earlier. When he reached the dip in his spine, Ian could feel his brother’s fingers pause momentarily. Barley swallowed, only audible because of how close they were, and his hands slid to Ian’s side, weakly resting on his hips. They both stayed very still for only a moment, neither daring to breathe, before Barley slid his hands back up to Ian’s shoulders.

Feeling emboldened by Barley’s handsy behavior, Ian suddenly decided to put on a bit of a show. He arched his back slightly and tilted his head to the side, then let out a sigh, letting his eyes flutter closed. Barley reacted accordingly, his hands lightly tensing. He stroked a thumb over Ian’s bare neck, and Ian held his breath, silently begging himself not to move a muscle. Barley’s hands slowly stilled, his thumb remaining pressed into the soft skin. They both said nothing, and neither moved, until suddenly Barley reeled both his hands back and slapped Ian on the back, making him jolt forward.

“There you go,” Barley said loudly, voice strained. “One bone-a-fide Barley massage! Now we’re even! You’re welcome.”

Ian turned, blinking in surprise at the sudden change of mood. What just happened? “R-Right, uh... Thank you.”

“Anytime, little brother, anytime.” With that, Barley slapped his hands together and began to push himself off of Ian’s bed. “Guess I better be going to bed, too, then.”

“Oh,” Ian said, unable to keep the disappointment out of his voice.

“But hey,” Barley said, seeming to notice Ian’s tone. “We should have another movie date next week. Maybe we can make it a thing!”

Ian’s eyes widened for a moment before he managed to retain a more neutral expression. A date? Did he just call it a _date?!_

Barley, sounding nervous, slowly started to back away from Ian and towards the door. “Okay, well, night, Ian. See you tomorrow!”

“Um, yeah, goodnight.” Just before Barley managed to escape, Ian called out, “I had fun.”

Barley paused, hand gripping the doorknob, his back to Ian. After a moment, he turned and smiled.

“Yeah, me too.”

Ian stayed rigid for a moment until he heard Barley’s footsteps start down the stairs, then he sighed and buried his face in his hands. The disappointment he felt about his brother suddenly running off was forgotten in favor of what Barley had said.

_A date._

Surely he didn’t mean it like _that_ , but... What about everything else that had happened? All the looks he had given Ian, calling him cute, and giving him that massage the way he had...

Ian blushed and smiled, more hopeful than he’d ever been. Maybe he had a chance, after all.


End file.
